Archive for June 16th, 2007

Tampa, Florida. June 16 – Hillsborough County's top deputy for making DUI arrests was fired last month after an internal investigation found he might have sent innocent people to jail, according to documents…

Much of Brock's personnel file at the sheriff's office is thick with commendations. He has earned awards for vigilance in removing impaired drivers from the roads. Supervisors praised Brock, 38, in annual performance reviews, calling him "highly motivated" and a leader in arrests for driving under the influence…

From October 2005 to October 2006, Brock arrested 313 motorists for allegedly driving while impaired, officials said. In 40 percent of those instances, he did not use his in-car video camera. Even when he did record a video, his report sometimes conflicted with evidence on the tape, officials said.

On Oct. 25, 2005, Brock noted that a defendant with a .01 percent blood alcohol content had trouble walking, lost her balance and could not perform field sobriety tests adequately. The video of the arrest showed differently, officials said. The woman did not lose her balance and did not show signs of impairment.

"I don't prescribe to the theory that somehow you have to be .08 to be drunk or impaired," Brock told investigators.

Brock denied to investigators that he was trying to boost his arrest totals…

At least once, he wrote two versions of the same DUI arrest report, officials said. He sent prosecutors the second version, written from memory and without getting the approval of his supervisor. It constituted a misdemeanor for falsifying records…